Friday, May 31, 2013

MODERATOR: Good morning, and aloha. To the PACOM ohana, it's my pleasure to introduce the 24th secretary of defense. Now, for all of you out there, he's actually been one of you, a sergeant in Vietnam, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, more importantly than that, two Purple Hearts and a Combat Infantry Badge. So he knows what he's talking about when he talks about his vision for this -- the Department of Defense.

First, thank you for allowing me to greet you this morning and allowing me to acknowledge the work you do. And thank you, on behalf of our president and our country, who all recognizes that work and the importance of your efforts.

I know sometimes you feel stuck out here in the Pacific, that maybe no one knows who you are or what you're doing, but let me assure you: We do. And we're grateful. And you play a very important role not only in our national security, but the region's. And you're really a central part of the larger plan.

So please, also, thank your families. I think that families are often just taken for granted, and it's probably as difficult -- maybe more difficult for them than it is for you, and you all know that, and you know how difficult it is. But I want you to be sure and tell your families that I ask about them and that I wanted to extend my thanks and best wishes.

I know this is a pretty unique operation here when you've got a blend of your National Guard here, with active and with civilians. And we've now outfitted this squadron with, I think, the complete set of the F-22s. That's a big deal, as you all recognize. And we're very proud of that, and I know how proud you are to be the first squadron to have that situation. And I know how proud you are to have that integrated dynamic of the National Guard and active and civilians all working together.

That's as much value added as I think we can get in our system. And that -- that's as it should be. It is value added. And I think at a time when we are having to prioritize our resources, whether you catalogue that by referencing sequestration, the fact is, we are going to be doing with less. That's not unusual, as we unwind from a second war, and we reset, and we redeploy assets. That specifically is within the framework of the rebalancing that President Obama directed a couple of years ago. That was a correct decision for the reasons you all understand.

I'm on my way to Singapore after I leave here, and I will speak there. General Locklear -- or Admiral Locklear -- is there now, I think, unless he stopped off for breakfast somewhere before he got there. And we'll have a number of our leadership from the Pacific and Asia there.

But one of the points I'll make in my comments to our Asian partners and allies is that, with this rebalance, which is the right thing to do for them, too, by the way, not just for us, but for the rest of the world, that doesn't mean that we are abandoning our resources anywhere else or we're retreating from any other part of the world. We're not. Our interests are global.

But as you rebalance the challenges and opportunities -- and sometimes we forget there are opportunities -- and I think the opportunities that abound today in the world probably centered as much in the Asia Pacific as any one area -- are as unique with as much potential as maybe ever in the history of man. And I really believe that.

It's going to really depend on how wisely we govern, how wisely we respond to each other, how wisely we can form coalitions of common interests. We all have common interests. Our governments are different. Our histories are different. Our cultures are different. Some of us look different. Our languages are different. But still, the basic common interests of the human being don't change.

And I've been all over the world, like you have, been to a lot of countries in the world. I've never found a country yet or religion or a culture or a tribe that doesn't have the same feelings about their families. They love their families. You love your family. You start there. We all need the basics in life to survive. You start there.

So if that is the given -- and it is -- then why can't we get along? Well, I know that's pretty simple. I get that. But I like to ask simple questions, because we tend to kind of glide over simple things, and we tend to more than occasionally make things more complicated than they need to be.

This is a defining time in the world. This is a defining time right now. This region of the world is going to have an awful lot to say about how this next world order is built out. And we've not seen a time like this in the world since really right after World War II, that 10-year period after World War II, when, in fact, the world was built out.

The difference is, the United States held most of the cards after World War II. We don't hold all the cards this time. And, by the way, that's good. It allows other countries to share responsibilities. It allows other countries to prosper. And only then do we -- when we accept that premise -- and we all accept that -- will the world prosper. And I think we're right on the edge of that. So your role in this is pretty important.

So with that, again, I wanted to thank you for what you're doing. That's the main message I wanted to give to you this morning. And I'd be very happy -- if the general lets me -- if it's okay, I'll be glad to respond to a question, advice, suggestions, tell me to go home, whatever.

I've got a reporter, the Washington -- the Washington bureau chief for the Omaha World Herald who's with me. That's my home state newspaper of Nebraska. And I just noticed he's in a big red N cap. You can't miss him. And so if -- in particular, if you've got any advice for Joe Morton on Nebraska football this year, he will get it right to Coach Pelini and the people who are in charge. And especially if you've got a trick play, let him know.

So anything you want to talk about, I'll take a couple minutes. Yes?

Q: Good morning sir. Petty Officer First Class Alvin Balthasar. I work for the commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In the military, we're dealing with a lot of financial cutbacks, and I was wondering if military retirement and other benefits are going to be affected, as well, sir, in the near future?

SEC. HAGEL: Well, I think everyone heard that question. It's a very important question, because as I noted, we are going to be seeing budgets that are less and less. And we're living with that now. So we are reviewing every component of our budget. And we have to look at personnel costs, because they represent the biggest part.

Now, that always has to be subject to this reality and to this priority: You take care of your people. It doesn't make any difference how sophisticated your equipment or anything else. If you don't have good people, and if you can't keep good people, and you can't continue to educate them and train them and develop them, it won't make any difference how good your planes are or anything else. So that's a high priority, as high as any priority. Obviously, that has to connect to national security. That's our job. That's my main job as the secretary of defense, the security of this country, like it's your jobs, but you do it with people.

So everything that we're looking at -- and we are looking at everything across the board, entitlement programs and every way -- the Congress and the president are having to do the same thing with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. And so we are looking at it.

To your more immediate question, is that going to affect your retirements and benefits? We suggested in our budget presentations to Congress this year that we ask the Congress to consider things like adjusting prescription co-pays, to increase those co-pays, not -- not very much, by the way, also, TRICARE fees. Not very much. TRICARE and all the -- all the benefits that come with the commitments we make to you are still the best benefits that I'm aware of anywhere in the world. And -- and that's okay. That's as it should be, because you give up an awful lot for a career in the military. So that was the whole balance.

But we've got to do things like that or we won't be able to sustain the programs. And we can do it. We can do it smartly. We can do it wisely without hurting anybody, and that's the way we'll come at it and that's the way we'll do it.

Oh, thank you.

Somebody else? Yes.

Q: Morning, sir. Petty Officer Third-Class Michael Byrd, and I'm from commander, Naval Region Hawaii out of Pearl Harbor. My question is, how does our government plan to increase cyber security in a world where the threat of global terrorism threats through cyber warfare is growing by the day, sir?

SEC. HAGEL: Well, you just defined the issue, the challenge. One of the very few items that the president proposed in his budget that I presented to the Congress this year to be increased was our cyber warfare capabilities. We are increasing that part of the budget significantly for the reasons you mentioned.

And we are -- we're doing more than just increasing the budget. That means more people, more sophisticated approaches, and more interconnects within our inter-government agencies, obviously, the NSA, Cyber Command, Homeland Security, working with our law enforcement.

And then another very important component to this is our allies and our partners, because we live in a world -- and you all know this -- where one country's just not big enough, strong enough, good enough, wealthy enough to handle it all. We can't do it, especially cyber. And cyber is one of those quiet, deadly, insidious unknowns you can't see, it's in the ether. It's not one big navy sailing into a port or one big army crossing a border or squadrons of fighter planes crossing a border. This is a very difficult, but real and dangerous threat. And there's no higher priority for our country than -- than this issue.

I had the privilege of co-chairing President Obama's Intelligence Advisory Board for four years before I was asked to do this job. And that -- that issue took more of our time than -- than any one issue. I served on the Senate Intelligence Committee for eight years. And even 10 years ago, on that committee, we were focusing on this.

But to just give you one sense of the framing out on this and perspective, very few people 10 years ago -- very few people eight years ago, six years ago would have rated cyber challenges, dangers as maybe the biggest threat to all of us. I mean, it happens that fast. And you know all the reasons. You know, these attacks can paralyze an electric grid, a banking system, knock out computers on ships or weapons systems, and you never fire a shot. And it's hard to detect exactly where it comes from, so you've got that added problem, you respond, if you respond, where do you respond, how do you respond, are you sure you're responding to the right person, the right country, the right entity in that country? Tough issue. But we're working on it. And we're working very hard on it.

Are you -- are you in that business?

Q: (OFF-MIC)

SEC. HAGEL: Well, you're young, smart, good-looking, and you got a great future. You're a Nebraskan. No, that's a joke. I thought it was -- young, good-looking, smart, you had to be.

Who else wants -- yes?

Q: Morning, sir. I'm Corporal Harris with Headquarters Battalion on Marine Corps Base Hawaii. I'm actually about to get out of the military in a couple weeks here, and I've been noticing on the news a lot of stories about how backlogged the V.A. is. I was wondering what was being done to help streamline the system and when we could expect to see changes.

SEC. HAGEL: Well, unfortunately, that is the case. The Department of Defense obviously has a responsibility and a role in all of this, to help the VA. We've been working very closely with the VA on this over the years. We're not near where we need to be, where we should be, and where we will be.

When I came into this job about three months ago, I started looking at everything, and that was one of the first things that I looked at. I had been the deputy administrator of the Veterans Administration under President Reagan for the first year-and-a-half he was in office. And I played a role in helping get the VA on a then-computerized system. We had never, ever had anything like that.

So it doesn't mean I know a lot. I don't. But I know probably more than most people do about this, because I had responsibility of helping put it together at the VA. So I know how difficult this job is.

The first 10 days I was in this job, I went over to see General Shinseki, who's an old friend, who, as you know, is secretary of veterans affairs. We sat down for two hours, just the two of us, and said, all right, take me through it, Ric. What are we doing right? Where are failing? What are the problems?

I went back and got involved in it at DOD. I put a hold on everything going forward on RFPs, everything, until I could get a better understanding of what we were doing. We have now completely restructured it. We've taken it out of where it was, put new leadership in charge, new acquisitions people in charge, continuing to work obviously where we can, and we have made progress, by the way, in helping the VA, but a lot more.

Second, when you look at that backlog problem, over 800,000 cases, most of that is a result of claims that have come in from members who were in the military who served before Iraq and Afghanistan. Even some go back to World War II. Now, to retrieve those records, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and going back that far, is where part of the big problem is. And our role, our piece of that backlog is very small, in the backlog issue itself. And I think, unfortunately, the issue gets confused, because there are a lot of pieces to the DOD-VA partnership in how we exchange and how we have mutual roadmaps and how we are able to move things electronically back and forth.

And, by the way, there's a lot of good news on that. We've made good -- a lot of good progress. The backlog is a problem. It's a big problem. But that is separate from a lot of other things, and people get confused and don't understand that.

So bottom line is, we're doing everything we can, we'll continue to do. We're recommitted to do that. I just sent Secretary Shinseki a letter before I left a couple days ago, two-page letter, from him -- from me to him, laying out all the new initiatives that I propose we, DOD, do for VA Our chiefs of staff have talked. Our top people have talked. I have laid all these new assets out and said, do you want them? Do you need them?

People -- now, we have a lot of people at the VA now. I mean, we have had -- we have DOD people over there, and we have DOD people at VA regional centers, processing centers, especially up in Seattle, Washington. So we're doing an awful lot now. It needs to get fixed. We'll do more. And you have my word for that. Thank you.

All right. One more question, and then I'll let you guys go back to work. Yes?

Q: Yes, sir. Good morning, sir.

SEC. HAGEL: Morning.

Q: Petty Officer Littlebiggs, representative Pacific Command, J4. Yes, sir, my question this morning is that, with the activity that we're seeing here in the Pacific and in Asia, do you suspect in the near future or intermediate future that we're going to start ramping up forces as they did at CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command], sir, during that program?

SEC. HAGEL: Well, we actually are increasing our assets and -- and deployment of assets here. If you look at our naval assets, those are increasing. I think the F-22 squadron here is another indication. We're doing far more bilateral exercises out here than we ever have. We're continuing to stay on track and actually enhance and increase some of the trilateral, some of the ASEAN activities. We're doing far more than we've ever done, and -- and that comports with the overall rebalancing, which includes moving more assets into the area.

Marines, you know, we're -- we're having some exchanges and we are making some -- have made some decisions to put Marines in Darwin, Australia, and we'll increase those numbers as we go forward, as we're redeploying Marines off of Okinawa -- excuse me -- onto Guam. So redeployment, more -- some of our best assets, certainly naval forward presence, but air and naval presence, you'll see more and more of that kind of -- and as you are right now -- of that kind of increase.

Well, again, thank you very, very much. Enjoy your time here. And who is here not from -- originally from Hawaii? I know we've got National Guard here and civilians. Raise your hands, those who've -- who are not from Hawaii. Oh, you got -- probably the majority are not from Hawaii. And it's just too bad you've been assigned here, but I know you'll struggle through it with all your commitment to our country.

Well, good luck to you. Much success to you. And thank you for what you're doing. Thank you. (Applause.)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little provided the following readout:

"Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter met with Rachid Sabbagh, minister of defense of Tunisia, today at the Pentagon as part of the 27th annual United States and Tunisia Joint Military Commission from May 28 to 30, 2013.

"Secretary Hagel welcomed Minister Sabbagh to Washington and emphasized his commitment to the U.S.-Tunisian defense relationship. The secretary said he was pleased with the continued military-to-military cooperation between the countries and emphasized the need for future cooperation in light of shared interests and security challenges in the region.

"Deputy Secretary Carter expressed gratitude for the continued support Tunisia has provided to the U.S. embassy in Tunis in the aftermath of the September 14, 2012 attack and for the continued cooperation between both countries on a wide range of mutual security issues."

Memorial Day, is a day set aside to honor those who answered our nations call and made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of our freedom!

It's the most sacred sacrifice a nation can ask … the call for one of our fellow servicemen or women to risk life itself in defense of our nation.

You and I made our own sacrifices in our country's service, but both of us stand in awe of those who gave their lives.

As Memorial Day dawns, I hope you'll take time to step forward as a DAV member.

Wear an article of DAV clothing on this special day.

Fly Old Glory in front of your home.

If your DAV Chapter is involved in a Memorial Day parade, please take part.

If not, attend some other patriotic event.

You might even want to decorate the graves of our fallen heroes.

Over Memorial Day weekend, plan to stick close to friends who served. This holiday, dedicated to those who never made it home, can be hard for some of our fellow veterans. Young Americans are still coming home from war sick and wounded from Afghanistan, needing you, me and DAV. While too many seldom give them a second thought, you remember, holding the spirit of Memorial Day in your heart.

That's why I so value your membership. Through DAV, you lead the way for all of America's veterans.

This Memorial Day, Concerned Veterans for America remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. America's freedoms have been purchased on the battlefield; the least we can do is remember and honor them on this sacred holiday. And we will.

In this spirit, we invite you to read the following essay written by Jane Horton. Ms. Horton is a Gold Star wife, veterans' activist, and a Military Families Advisor for Concerned Veterans for America.

After you read the piece, visit our website to join Jane and CVA in continuing the fight for freedom.

God bless,Concerned Veterans for America

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Enjoy Your Weekend -- It's Been Paid in FullBy Jane Horton

America, land of the free home of the brave: the nation where we have holidays to honor those who have shed their blood-blood that is woven into the red stripes on our very own national flag. Yet many see this day as an opportunity for an extra day off of work, a mini-vacation, or a barbecue. These are all incredibly great things because in this country, secluded in many ways from less free, scarier parts of the world, we have the privilege to turn our faces from the evil there because courageous men and women stand guard in the night for us. It is important to enjoy the holiday and the serene freedom that comes with the sacrifice of so many who have laid down their lives for our peace of mind and the American way of life.

Never could I have imagined that Memorial Day would be so close to my heart, or that the weight of sacrifice would be ingrained so deeply into my soul. On the night of September 9, 2011, when I received a horrifying knock at the door, I knew my world would never be the same. My husband, SPC Christopher, was an Army sniper who was killed by small arms fire in Paktya, Afghanistan. Never could he have imagined he wouldn't make it home to the country he held so dear; likewise, never could I have imagined the battle I would engage in to fight for our country on the home front.

I knew in that moment that it was now my responsibility to not only make sure people knew of Chris's sacrifice, but I also had a grave responsibility to fight for our nation here as well. If he and so many others were willing to give it all, the least I could do is remember them and do my best to preserve the freedom that cost them their life. This is a message that is all too easy to forget, yet is one of the most powerful that can be told. We must be the ones to remember Chris and his fallen comrades and what they gave, even though they aren't here to serve as a reminder. See, those killed in war are left at our mercy to be remembered. They can't show up at events and be recognized, and they can't proudly yet humbly wear their valorous medals for all to see. If we don't speak for them, they will have no voice because they aren't here to represent themselves. We must do it for them.

Honoring our fallen service members is not a just a somber moment of silence to recognize and reflect on their sacrifice. We can truly honor them the most by living out full and happy lives. They didn't give their lives so we could spend our days pouting and thinking about what a great loss we have in them. They gave everything so our way of life could continue, and we can remain happy Americans continuing to reach for the American dream. If you want to say thank you-to do something to better this nation-pay attention to what is happening in it. We must preserve it on the home front and fight for it here. We owe it to them. There is no place like America, and no other land of such incredible freedom.

On Memorial Day, on this one day, the nation remembers what so many of us who have given a piece of their heart to this country can never forget. Each day that goes by, my thoughts never waver from the man who loved you and me enough to contest the enemy face to face. He and so many others went not because they hated what was in front of them, but because they loved what was behind them much, much more.

As Samuel Adams once said, "The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they ought." This not only goes for those on the battlefield in faraway lands, but we also have a responsibility to not only remember, but to fight here on the home front as well. The two go hand in hand: Once we become a nation that truly remembers what has been given so we could be what we are today, we will never let freedom and liberty slip from our hands.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2013 - As part of his first Memorial Day observance in office, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel released a video message today to thank those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and commend the military members who will carry on their legacy.

"Memorial Day is a uniquely American day," Hagel said. "It is the one day of the year we set aside completely to remember, to honor and thank those who give so much and have given so much for this country."

An Army veteran who volunteered to go to Vietnam in 1968, Hagel acknowledged that, 11 years into war these are not easy times to be part of the armed forces.

"Memorials are not built to honor war," Hagel said. "They are built to remember great causes and great actions and the people who helped shaped the world for the better."

The secretary also thanked military members and their families for their sacrifices in service to the nation.

"It's a great honor, it's a privilege, to be part of your team," Hagel said. "Our country will never forget those who fell in battle and those who have yet to return home."

In a montage of military members and veterans from across eras, Hagel said nothing makes him prouder than his association with the military and its veterans.

"Their dedication and selfless service resonates deeply across the country and their legacy is carried forward proudly by those who wear our nation's uniform today," he said.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

WASHINGTON (May 24, 2013) -- This weekend, Americans in large numbers will visit our national cemeteries and other final resting places to honor their loved ones, their friends, neighbors, colleagues, even some unknown to them—men and women who gave their lives in defense of our Nation.

Memorial Day is a time to reflect on their service and their sacrifice, even as our Armed Forces are performing difficult and dangerous missions in distant lands. They continue to safeguard our American way of life.

Memorial Day is set aside to honor the more than one million of our fellow citizens who have fallen in battle since the founding of our Republic. Their service helped to shape us as a Nation and secured, for us and our friends and allies, our security in a troubled world. Except for their service, we all would be facing different circumstances today.

During World War II, American forces literally helped to save the world from tyranny and oppression. Those who marched to the guns in the 1950's saved a Nation. And the most devastating conflict in our history, the American Civil War, preserved a Union that would, within a hundred years, emerge as a world power, dedicated to preserving freedom and liberty.

Every generation has done its duty, just as today's 1.37 million members of our Armed Forces are doing theirs under difficult circumstances.

On Memorial Day, their service in uniform stands in contrast to our ball games and backyard barbeques. Our defenders are ordinary Americans performing extraordinary deeds, bearing all the risks for our way of life. In remembering the Fallen, we honor the men and women who kept faith with our enduring principles of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." We remember, as well, those who keep the faith today and honor their patriotism, valor, dedication, and loyalty.

A memorial written by Civil War-era orator, Robert Green Ingersoll, eloquently captures the significance of Memorial Day for all generations of our Fallen:

They died for liberty—they died for us. They are at rest.

They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless. . . . Earth may run red with other wars, but they are at peace.

In the midst of battles, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death.

I join with all VA employees in honoring those who have been called to the Altar of Freedom, in offering prayers for them and their families, who sacrifice still today, and in asking for the Almighty's continued blessings on this great Nation.

On Monday at 12:01PM EDT, I will lay a wreath on behalf of IAVA before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

We're asking you, wherever you are on Memorial Day, to gather your friends and family to pause in silence to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Will you #GoSilent this Memorial Day? Click here to take the pledge and tell us who you are honoring:http://bit.ly/iKd8s3

IAVA will be on the ground somewhere near you this Monday. Click here to check out the events page. And we'll be online, too -- follow #GoSilent on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout Memorial Day.

Thank you for your dedicated support to our veterans and their families. This community is strong because we always stand together.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Chairman Jeff Miller (FL-01) and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) introduced legislation that would establish an independent task force or commission to analyze VA's disability benefits claims processing system. The task force would be charged with examining the root causes of VA's backlog and providing solutions for ending it by 2015.

After decades of mismanagement, VA is buried under a mountain of backlogged disability benefits compensation claims. Nearly 900,000 veterans are waiting for a claims decision — a process that takes nine months on average, but in some cases takes years.VA leaders have repeatedly pledged to end the backlog by 2015, but many in the veterans community are skeptical the department is on track to meet that goal.

Under the bill, the task force would provide recommendations for improving VA's claims processing operations within 60 days of its first meeting and continually help the department refine its claims processing efforts until VA's backlog is eliminated.

Task force members would be appointed by members of Congress and the Obama administration and would include a delegate from VA.The bill would also require task force members to solicit input from representatives from the veterans service organization community and private-sector leaders in fields such as claims processing, logistics, electronic records and product tracking.

"Government bureaucrats under both Republican and Democrat administrations created the backlog, so it's only natural to solicit outside help from the private sector and the VSO community in working toward a solution. By creating a task force of private industry leaders, VA and VSO officials, we hope to establish a revised evidence-based process that will help VA break its claims backlog once and for all in 2015, just as department leaders have promised."Miller said.

"The entire country is counting on VA to end the backlog by 2015, and Congress is committed to holding the department accountable until they achieve that goal. Our veterans deserve the care they earned while protecting and defending our country, and continued failure by the VA cannot and will not be tolerated." McCarthy said.

"As Memorial Day approaches, it's clear that there is no roadmap from the White House to bring the VA backlog to zero. Veterans need a comprehensive, inter-agency approach to solve the disgraceful backlog. IAVA strongly supports Chairman Miller's bill to proactively establish just such a coordinated effort to get the VA the help it needs on the backlog and to bring outside players to the table to assist in that effort. The enormous success of the roundtable with private industry experts convened by the Chairman last week is an example how the VA can greatly benefit from an expansion of this approach," saidPaul Rieckhoff, CEO and Founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Background: Earlier this week, the House overwhelmingly passed their version of the Stolen Valor Act(HR 258), which makes it a federal crime to profit from falsely identifying yourself as having received certain valorous military medals and awards. The crime could include a fine and/or up to one year imprisonment.

The Senate bill, S. 210, now needs your support.

Action Needed: Contact your two U.S. Senators today and urge them to pass S. 210, the StolenValor Actbefore Memorial Day. Tell them that America holds her military service members and veterans in high regard, and those who falsely identify themselves as war heroes in order to reap benefits should be punished!

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2013 - The Defense, Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services departments yesterday reported on the progress they've made on initiatives to improve access to mental health services for veterans, service members and their families.

The initiatives are the result of an executive order President Barack Obama issued in August.

"One of the great challenges we face as a nation is how to provide quality, accessible, long-term mental health care for service members, veterans and their families," Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said. "Using the combined resources and expertise from across the government, we are advancing services for those who have sacrificed so much for our nation."

The departments have released an interim report outlining their progress, including:

-- Increasing the capacity of the Veterans Crisis Line by 50 percent to help ensure that veterans in crisis can readily reach help;

-- Establishing 15 pilot projects in seven states in which VA works with community-based mental health providers to help veterans have timely access to mental health services;

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2013 - The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments should be able to create a seamless health records system by the end of the year, Undersecretary of Defense Frank Kendall told reporters today.

The undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics led a review of the health care records system.

The idea is to create a system in which health care records can move from DOD to VA or other health care providers. The two departments are building on President Barack Obama's national standards for health care records. "This will enable records to move more easily between DOD and the VA," Kendall said during a Pentagon news conference.

DOD has been sending electronic medical records to VA for years, the undersecretary noted. Those "read only" records are used by VA to determine eligibility for benefits and disability. But records are also necessary for medical care, he said.

"It's there that we're really trying to improve -- the records used by doctors and clinicians," he added. "The first step in that is to get in compliance with the standard data format so it can move in a seamless way. We expect to have integrated, seamless records with the VA by the end of this year."

A separate effort is to modernize the systems used within the Defense Department and VA to provide health care.

"There's no requirement that we use the same software to do that," Kendall said. VA officials elected to modernize using the department's existing Vista system.

"It was a reasonable decision for VA," Kendall said. "They had a solid base in Vista, had a lot of people trained in it, had the programming in-house, and their physicians were familiar with it."

Veterans Affairs will continue to build for the future on the Vista system, and DOD may use Vista or it may use another software altogether, Kendall said.

"The question is how to provide the best value for our people and the best possible health care for our people," he said. "The conclusion after the review is the best possible approach taps into the commercial market and brings commercial systems in as candidates, along with Vista-based systems as well."

DOD reached out to industry and received 20 proposals, including three based on Vista. "We think we have a rich field to pick from, and we can make a best value determination for DOD," the undersecretary said.

Kendall said the next task moving forward is going to be understanding of what's affordable, given the budget stream.

"Modernization is probably going to take place ... in an incremental fashion," he said.

The bottom line for service members is that they will have a single integrated record, Kendall said.

"The record is the data," he said, "and once we have that data in the standardized form and we have converted the data we have now into that architecture, then we're positioned to whatever lies ahead -- whatever software we buy, wherever we move it to."

About Me

Veterans Advocate and Past Chairman of American Cold War Veterans. Veteran of
the US Army 1989-1991. Served overseas in Southwest Asia for 17 months with the
528th USAAG during the Gulf War. 100 percent Service Connected Disabled Veteran also a member of VFW Dept NY Post 53 , NY Post 001 American Legion, DAV Robert P Illig Post #47.

About Me

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